Condenser support



Sept. 15. 1925.

J. F. GRACZEv CONDENSER SUPPORT Filed Jul s. 1920 s sheetgsheet 1" .J. F. GRACE CONDENSER SUPPORT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J. F. GRACE CONDENSER SUPPORT Filed July 8. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 CONDENSER Application one m a,

,3 whom com-ere:

Be lnio'wn thot I, Jenn Queen, 21- citi- Zen ot the Jute States, residingat Kesrny, county of Hudsom and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful linn'ovements in Condenser Supports, fully described and represented in the toliowing specificationand the accompanying drawings forming a part oi the same.

This invention relates to improvements in means for supporting condensers and particularly to means for supporting condenscrs used with turbine engines.

A condenser is subjected to several forces which are of considemihle magnitude and some ofwhieh vary according'to operating conditions Among the most important of these forces are the weight of the condenser and its attached parts, the. weight of the water and vapor in the condo-neon the thrust due to the reaction of the atmosphere on the condenser, and force due to expansion and contraction of the condenser.

The force due to the condenser dead weight that to say the weight of the empty condensdr wi1h any attached/parts it may carry, oi? cour e, tends to produce a displacement i'noi-ement of the condenser in a downward direction and is always con stant for any given condeuseu The force due to the weight of the Water and 'a'por in the condenser acts in, a downward direction but may rary considerably from time to time. g

The force due to the atnlospheric reaction will here its direction dete ruined by the directionoi'f exhaust discharge hut in the pres cn general practice the exhaust is discharged downward so iha tthc r active force on the condenser may be in an upward direction. This balanced by the downward pressure on the turbine if a rigid exhaust connection he used. but not with an expansion joint in the exhaust connection.

COhRldtl'ihQ new the cl'lcct of these three forces itwill he obvious thut'whcn for any reason there is no water in the condenser. the latter is subjected only to a downward pull equal to its dead weight. l nder normal operating conditions the condenser is suhiccicd to a downward force which is the sum of the coiulcuser dead weight and the weight of the water it contains, and if the to {i force which is Gin CURTEGRATLEUN, A GORPGRATIEQN Q VIEGHTLQM 15920. No. 3%,76i

engine is running, the condenser is snhjected the resultant of the three forces, viz,-reactive thrust upwardi com denser dead weight downward and Weight of water and vapor downward In praetice this resultant force sets downward. That is the exhaust reaction is less than the total weight of the condenser and of the water and vapor.

Because or the stress due to expansion and contraction of the condenser, the condenser support must be such that this expansion and contraction may take place Without in jury to the condenser or the engine with which it is connected.

liianv attempts have been made heretofore to provide a condenser support which Will satisfactorily meet the conditions of prac-- fire. but prior to'this invention no support has hecn devised on such a principle that it would satisfactorily take careof all the con ditions arising in practice.

lllii) with The present invention overcomes all the disadvantages of the prior constructions loy simporting the condenser in below the turbine that the condenser ma expand freely downward while at the same time the constant downward pull on the condenser due to gravity is counterbalanced by a substantially equal constant upward thrust and the varying resultant of the other varying; forces transmitted to the foundation of the turbine or other engine in a. suitable '21 as, for example, through the tur hine casing or base. i i By this invention the expansion oi? the sometimes is brought condenser. which 7 about by accidental stoppage of the circulilting pump and the resultant heating of the condenser, cannot cause an upwardthrust on the turbine and hence there is no danger o forcing the turbine rotor or shaft out of alignment by this accidentol stoppage.

if For any reason the flow and the'condenser lievcd of any upward thrust duero the exhaust by the immediateopeningfof the free exhaust ,valve always provided in such inof Water stops siallationsi A further great ad outage of this arrangement is that the engine casing is readily freed of all load due to the condenser empties, theturhrhe is resuch a manner merely by drawing off the water from the condcnser. This is particularly important on account of the necessity of opening the engine casing at times to obtain access to the engine for inspection and repairs. At such times, the engine casing is in no con.- dition to resist any stresses from the condenser, and it is usual to line up the tu bine shaft with the weight. ot' the condensertaken oil the turbine. .ln one type of condenser support heretofore employed it has been customary to connect the ccndcrrscr directl y to the exhaust ot the turbine and than support the condenser yich. ly on springs; but in such 'DllSl'l'llCilOllS i .as been considered necessary to so ci'mstruct and adjust the springs that they carried only a. part of the weight of the condenser, while the exhaust flange 01? the turl'iine carried the re mainder of such weight as well as the weight of the water. Otherwise with the condenser relieved of the wcight of the water, either whollv or in part. the springs produced an upwrru, thrust on the turbine exhaust flange. whicl was very di.--:advantageous as liable to put thc rotor or shalt out of alignment.

While in its broad aspect the invcn'tion is not limitcd to the specific means cmplo w-d for maintaining constantly a uniform up' ward thrust on the condenser suhstam'ially cqual to condenser dead weight, I have dcvised some special types oi mechanism which will insure this uniformity of thrust under all, conditions of practice. ln these new types gravity is relied upon as the balancing force to countcrlialancc thc rondcnscr dcad weight. and the mechanism is such as not to he iujuriously allcctcd by opt-rating conditions.

Notwithstanding the fact that the mcchanisms devised by me are pcculiarly adai'itcd tor countcrbaiancing the condcnscr dead weight, as l'icrcinbetore explained, it is to be undcrstood that they can be used to give an lll ')\\'ltltl thrust either less than 01'711101'6 than equivalent to the condenser dead wcight, it circumstances arise which make this :ulvisable or desirable.

An important further advantage of these ia-w supporting mechanisms is that they can be arranged to give a symmetrical distribution oi the stresses on the enn iuc exhaust conduit. so that the resultant -stress may be uniformly distributed on the flange of said conduit.

. One type of such new mechanism conipriscs hydraulic means for applying the countcrbalancing thrust, whilc another type ci'm'ipriscs ordinary weights '()l.!ll (l'l Zlllll'TO the weight. ot the ci'indcnsm'.

i'llllun'igh the hydraulic countcrlmlaiu'ing nicans is cmhraccd within the broad scope (it i'lu invention, no specific claims are madc to it in the present application, but such arrangcd to claims are presented in the companion 3117- plication filed July 8, 391.761.

The invention will be more specifically dcscril'icd herein in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a side elevation ot a turb ne instaihition, the condenser being supported by the preferred embodimentiof my invention;

l igure shows a top plan View;

lrigurcs S and at are detail elevations;

Figure 5 shows a top plan view of a nualiticati'on;

l igures 6 and 7 show elevations thereof, and.

l 'igure 8 is a side elevation of a modilica lion ol? the invention showing a turbine instaliation including a condenser and one form of hydraulic mechanism for supporting the condenser.

llelcrring. to the drawings, the turbine installatii'm shown by the way of OXHHIPLO is of the common form in which the turbine is p ovidcd with a bottom exhaust conduit having a flange 10 to which is connected directly the top cvhaust inlet 11 of a suitahlc sin-lace condenser B, provided with columns or lcgs 12, in the present example tour in numbe as shown and having suit ablc knife edges 1.

In the specificembodiment of thc invcnlion shown in the drawings there is provided a suitable lever and weight support which advantageously is ot the ffOl'lll shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and L of the drawings, in which each of the knife edges l of the columns or legs 12 bears on a multi 'ilying lcvcr it 'l'ulcrmncd at its outer end on knilc edge 2 rusting on a. fulcrumed support, such as, for cxample, the column 14. The inner ends of the levers 13 bear on a common central hearing plate 15. A balancing lover 1(3 supported on knife edge 3 by a fulcrum support, such as a short column 17, engagcs at its inner end the knife edge l of the common central bearing plate 15 and carries at its outer end an adjustable liialancing weight 18 which may be secured in any adjusted posi tion by a suitable dcvice such as 'a screw in. Multiplying levers 13 are prctcrab i pro vidcd with adjustable bearing screws 20 hearing against the bearing plate 15 for lcveling and final balancing of the condenser.

Suitablc small bearing plates flare prclcrably providcd on the columns and levers for the knife edges.

The columns 1-1 and 17 are pri-itcrahly ol' the form shown in which each consists of two supporting members a, one on cithcr sido of the lever 'to be supported, securcd or cast integrally with common base 7).

The operation of the, support is as follows:

Th comlenser levelled and accurately 1920, Serial No.

llfi

huhuimfl.,h heu empty, by ucliushuani; 15 same Si'ililil hei 'hts in all e'zwinu romiuis, ii; \reigh'l' iii and hearing screws :29, so as to ispreie 'uhle ilierefore, to 02m the plungerhrinz the flanges oi. the turbine exhaust and 11 3 f 1i. such static height as may he ohiuirrv i'nniloimur exhaust inlet inio (lose Cflfiiili'i. uhlu in each iusiunce. Wherefore, the up 'iho illl'illill"LXililUSi? flange .10 and the i}; erutiun consists in so propurtioning the 70 (Xhilllsi ,iu'lvi, ll of she condenser are i'hen hcighl: 0f he static i'uuk umi the size of the swurvlr' iOLliBd together as, for example, plunger 113 that the fluid under pressur hr bulls 23L Whgsii the circulating pump shall uccui'uiuly siipportthe condenser dead uiicl turbine are started, the conduuscr fills weight, that is, lluiflveiglit oi theempty with warm :lllfifiliC-ZUD, the Weight of which minimum" and any atiucheil putts. The tut 75 is vurriwl by, the turbine exhaust flange 10 him exhaust liuuge 110 and the top exhaust us will us the thrust prmluwii by (he lE-HC- .iului ill of the condenser are ihen secure-(i tiuu u! the :L'jiilllltlt iiinue i'hesu forces are iii gmtiheizus hy hulls ihe weight of the Wake? in nppusitiuii i0 *uQh oi'heiu, the vxhwst and sheum Within the CfilKiQllSQlbQiIlgCillliQQi i W ifiisllilifl'ied 3 he lesul'iunt hr iho exhaust iluuge 11? 0f ihe turbine A" 39 fOlUi. Also, the thrust (iUQ lo the reaction of the" l igure 5, (3 and T SilOW u mmlifivution exhaust ii'zmsiuiiitml t0 the engine thruugh whiJ-h ilill'vrs only in that it is provided with the exhaust flange, bill as this reaction is, Urn lung and hm sho multiplying" iLlklS, in upposiitiuu to the action of the Weight 1'i=.- p0r irvl r, as iuilicuferl at :31 and Lzh ihese 0'! water and rapor the exhaust flange S5 hwors heiug; (:Hll fulci'umml ut one end on subject only to the resultant cuhuuus :23. (hi these le'rm's rest l'hu feel It will. readily be upprbciuted that any of (he rmulvusr-r columns 1:? i'hu inn '1 such; chungus in reiiiicul height 01 ha umu'ienseiw 03' the lovers heiug PlOYiiiQli riih heap (luv Eu @xpziusim and coiltruc-iieu will he his]; wrmrs 52l- Wilhil iJCiil' u iim ihe i era? 'com imiuulml for h a vorrespumling; mcwu "ll; 'ihv free ends of i'hu levers :21 uivutof thecmiutmruieiglii While (lithe sums lhruugh lav imrvr eyes of two iluuhle lime the vuuihmser leudweighl; is always mvmhvru 25 which are uuppurl'ml (in 21, huh wlmi'ui'hulziuii'ufi pmpeillyf llilt'l, h rer 26 hr lcuifu mlgml hur 1?? which lihni' is claimed is: 3 m: 0 through the two upper Pros. The l. The coiuhiual'ium with an engine, its hulnuw lurvr 2G is fulvrumerl (m u suituhh: supports. and u ((llll iPIlSil' ilf'iOW the @ngine ji'l lrruiu s tuppuit us, for example. iihu 1:01 and arranged 10 receive oxhuust sieum ihm'0-- u-muflh. Fig. 'Z. and is ]ll l\"i(i0fi Willi the from,oli rii hlingmenus formnsi-unilymuiu- :uljusiuhlo weight :39, whicl J ll ii) he 'l'uiuinu' u uniform upward i'hrust upon the m) curml hr :1 sm-eir 30, condemn suhsinntiully uquul to the con ll 2S ilvsir; hlv lhui' inq- LOllllill'wilgfli dvnuur (h-ml weight, :lmi 11103115 for l 21115 muhi he 21:: near (he ilum us nuuuihlu in mili'iug' go the ermine sup mris ihc resultant l nrilvr in prorvnl' any :ic ciiisntul thrm'riug' of all ilisplurmuiu l uices acting upon the i i llr-i'orriir to Fig. 8 of 'ihv ih'zui'ir flu-him: is prm idvil with u huiimu exhuusii .iu oppi'isiii'iun iouiul suihsiuutiully (quill in wmluil luring u flung-u lll Whirl: is .001 {ho rumlunsm' (loud \YiiQlliJ. and menus fur um'iml dirovily in the iop vxhuusi' ill 0i :1 transmitting in The engine supports the ra a 50 suiluhh- L'OllfiilllHOI lii prol'ernlily of the Fuliuni ui'uil displuvvuwni' i'mvos uciiug upwrl'm-v ly w. huriug :1 hot well H2 project ,nu the romlensur ui'hor ihuu that due to said ihv i'rnuu 0i umruhlu hearing means for currying wiilrullr lrum il'Fi huii'um. i (Ullliillfll (lem'l Weight in the form of this inwntinu shmrn'iu 1.. The cmnhiimiimi. with :m QhQ'iuP. its Fig. R. the hot woil 11:? is provided with supports. and u. condenser holuw the engine u largo plunger llf; nperuiing Within :1 22mllll'l'llllg'vd"i01'(((i"((XililllStFiPfilflilllQ r rliuilvr ll-l. llllilPihiPKi Within iho engine from. of umruhlv hearing" mounu for ('ill'l)" nimu ihiul'. 'lu the qrliuihrr 'lli 52ml hclmrjug; the vo mleuser. wvighieil mechanism arihu pis'mu l'lil fluid under pressure is (leruugbil i i transmit in Quid hearing menus ii\'(l'f'(i h r suiluhle menus, \liliCii may he an upwurrl Thrust quui to fhu cumivusel' "4 0i llw inriu shown. in which Riui'ic LU-mi: (hmij i will, and moans for transmitting to, I13, prwxhled with .Quiiuhl-Q owrilmv u ul the w im suppuli's :ill iiupluemeut lie/Wes" 'h:uhwutrnllo l ivulmgo make up cmuwcug upon i'he cninlouur. other i'hun ihiii' inns Elfi,;|h l ll? i'c-spectiroly. (lulirm's i'hc' ,zhw in uiii cundouFe yf fiuu(i Weight iirri'illiii through u conuvf-i'iou 119-: 4. The cmuhinufim'u with Fm enginen hava S im-v it will he impossible in uhiuin i'hi iug u downward exicnding exhuus cuhilitit,

u i'urlhor irvigrhi illPEPOi'l n'mhiciugz :ui wi'uloimim ul'hor l'hun that due to the said of vxjug (he co'i'ulvusei. 111011119 for u'g'rplyihg. 21:

and a condenser below the engine and having an'exhaust inlet secured to the exhaust conduit ot' the engine, of means for constantly maintaining a uniform upward thrust on the condenser substantially equal to the condenser dead weight and supports arranged to receive the resultant of all dis placement forces acting on the condenser'in excess of such upward thrust.

5. The combination, with an engine having a downward extending exhaust conduit,

a movable bearing means, and a condenser mounted on said bearing means and pro-. vided with an exhaust inlet secured to the exhaust conduit of the engine, of means for constantly maintaining a uniform upward thrust on said bearing means of such an amount as to transmit to the condenser an upward thrust substantially equal to the condenser dead weight and supports arranged to receive the resultant (it all displacement forces acting on the condenser in excess of the upward thrust i'i'iaintained on saidcondenser.

(3. The combination, with an engine having a downward-extending exhaust conduit, and a support for said engine, of a condenser arranged below and attached to said e. haust conduit, a stationary fulcrum ccvice, a lever fulcrumed on said lulcrum device, said lever being arranged to exert an upward pressure on the condenser, and means tor applying a gravitational force to said lever to cause it to transmit continuously, to

the condenser, a substantially uniform upard pressure, the engine support being arranged to receive the resultant 01 all dis placement forces acting on the condenser.

7. The conibination, with an engine having a downward-extending exhaust conduit, and a condenser arranged below and rigidly attached to said exhaust conduit, ot' a series of stationary 'fulcrum devices, a series of lovers fulcrumed on said fulcrum devices, each lever being arranged to exert an up ward pressure on the condenser, means for applying a gravitational force to. said lovers to cause them to transmit tontinuously, to the condenser, a substantially uniform upward pressure in opposition tothe condenser dead weight, and a support .for said engine, arranged to receive the resultant of all displacement forces acting on the condenser.

S. The combination with an engine, its supports and a condenser below said engine arranged to receive exhaust steam therefrom, of a support for said condenser consisting of a lever, a fulcrum support or said lever, a plurality o'treducing levers asso; ciated with said lever on which the condenser is seated, stationary fulcrum supports for said reducing levers, means for connecting the ends otat least two of said reducing levers with one end of the first mentioned lever, and a counterweight on said first mentioned lever arranged to normally exert an upward thrust on the condenser substantially equal to its dead weight, whereby the resultant; of all. displacement forces acting on the condenser in excess of such upward thrustwill be transmitted to the engine supports.

if). T he combination with an engine, its supports and a condenser below said engine arranged to receive exhaust steam therefrom, of a s pport for said condenser contasting of a lever, a iulcrun'rsupport for said lever, a bearing plate on one end of said lever, a plurality of reducing levers on which the condenser is seated arranged to (FD-()litl'kllO with said bearing plate, stationary fulcrum supportsfor said reducing levers, and a counterw ght on said first mentioned lever arrange", to normally exert an upward thrust on the'condenser substantially eijual to its dead weight, whereby the resultant of all displacement forces acting on the condenser in excess of such upward thrust will he transi'nittcd to the engine supports.

ll). The combination with an engine, its supp rls and a condenser below said engine arranged to receiveexhaust steam therefrom, of a support for said condenser conslzting ot a lever, a fulcrum support for said lr-ver, a bearing plate on one end of said lever, a plurality of reducing levers on which the condenser is seated arranged to co-opera-te with said bearing plate, stationary lul'rum supports for said reducing levers, adjustable bearing screws tor the inner ends of the reducing levers arranged to contact with said bearing plate, and a counterweight on said first mentioned lever arranged to normally exert an upward thrust on the condenser substantially equal to its dead weight, whereby the resultant of all displacement forces acting on the corn denser in excess of such upward thrust will be transmitted to the. engine supports.

in testimony whereof, Ihave hereunto set my hand.

JOHN Ii. GRA(ll*l. 

